Netherlands win in Serbia, Xavi's first victory

The Netherlands secured their first win in the new edition of the Nations League by beating Serbia this Sunday, three days after the 1‑1 home draw against Germany. Under the guidance of Xavi, the Netherlands opened the scoring after half an hour thanks to a penalty from Mexx Meerdink.

Match progression

The match began under the supervision of referee Szymon Marciniak. Mexx Meerdink opened the scoring in the thirtieth minute from a penalty earned by Crysencio Summerville. Luka Jovic equalised in the first minute of the second half, before Meerdink restored the lead for the Netherlands in the sixty‑ninth minute, following a decisive pass from Guus Til. The match ended 2‑1, with three minutes of added time being granted.

The Netherlands fielded a 4‑3‑3 under the direction of Xavi Hernández Creus, while Serbia opted for a 5‑4‑1 led by V. Paunović. Virgil van Dijk was involved in a corner in the fifty‑eighth minute. Jurriën Timber received a yellow card at the end of the match. Both teams presented their full squads, including Serbian goalkeeper Szymon Marciniak.

Meerdink's brace lifts Netherlands past Serbia in Nations League clash

Dominance statistics

The Netherlands dominated possession with 67 % of the ball and attempted 25 shots, eight of which were on target. Meerdink's double was the highlight of a sustained offensive superiority. Serbia, despite a good recovery, could only create few clear chances.

Group implications

At the end of the match, the Netherlands totalled four points, placing the Dutch at the top of Group 2, one point ahead of Greece and two ahead of Germany. Germany will face Greece at 20:45 the same evening. Serbia, with two defeats, occupies the bottom place in the group.

Meerdink and Veerman lead Xavi to first Nations League win

The same Sunday, Denmark beat Wales 2‑0 thanks to an own goal from Ben Davies and a strike by Gustav Isaksen, while Austria defeated Kosovo 3‑1 with goals from David Affengruber, Adamu and Carney Chukwuemeka. These victories boost the momentum of the winning teams in their respective groups.